What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Okay, it is now 2017,
time to bury what was possibly the best thread of 2016
and upgrade.

I will try to keep a brief link list here as best I can:

In No Particular Order:

Neo900 - finally a successor of N900

The successor of Nokia N900 - Pyra (Well, sort of)

GPD win


Build our own device



bug me if you find something,
I am, all too often, extremely distracted but will post here.



On New Years Day I dug out my two linux tablets.

The older 'Hiton" unit will be bid as support for a project in few weeks,
so I was spooling it up to make sure I still had everything working.
It runs Sabayon 64bit on a n2600 and works excellently.
Unfortunately it is no longer manufactured


I have a Ubuntu Touch BQ E5,
but developing anything with it is complicated beyond any hope.

Since development on Ubuntu Touch has virtually died,
before even getting email, VPN, and any kind of porting of
mainstream linux applications (due to the 'mir' showstopper),
it never really counted as an actual "linux" alternative.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
But with Pyra getting closer it still makes sense to keep in mind there are other alternatives which may arrive completely __unanticipated__ from out of nowhere.

I am still looking for a build it myself but if someone spots something
out there now on the market please respond here.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ruggon PM-311 with its resistive screen is exquisite,
but too big to fit in a pocket, and the battery life is just too short.
I run SolydX 64bit and it just purrs right along.
With all the waterproofing and a legitimate RS232 port
it is still my first choice for offshore linux on deck at sea:

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Fixed the tags a little but could not add the "f*ck microsoft" one because tag limit is exceeded. Anyway f*ck microsoft!

Concerning the topic - AFAIR neo900 release is planned for november 2017 so I bet it will be the answer.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

I would not my breath until then (even I support Neo900 and would like to see it sooner as earlier' to exchange my N900 - or I feel doomed to retire it, @joerg_rw are you listening?)

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

The Samsung Z3 runs Tizen which is GNU/Linux. The specs are ok though not perfect. You can find them on ebay easily and they can be imported easily.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

I forgot to mention the decrepit ACER Iconia w4-821
gathering dust in the window.

Noticing that antiX- MX16 was released, I spooled it up
(using nomodeset to get the graphics to work)
and ran into the old wifi problem.
It seemed they have added quite a few broadcom modules,
so I set to investigating.

I just now got the wifi to working (receiving, but not yet connect)
It is Broadcom 43241b4
and with a big thanks to the guys who already hacked through at
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread....3#post13278703

it seems to be just a matter of getting the firmware
brcmfmac43241b4-sdio.txt file edited and into /lib/firmware/brcm/.
I did that using easier instructions at kernel.org:


NVRAM from EFI

Some new devices are storing the nvram which is needed in addition to the firmware by the driver in an EFI variable and the Windows driver can access it (this file should be optional in the case of PCIe devices). Currently brcmfmac does not support this automatically. First mount the efi vars into sysfs:

Code:

---

mount -t efivarfs none /sys/firmware/efi/efivars

---

The content of the nvram is in this file:

Code:

---

/sys/firmware/efi/efivars/nvram-74b00bd9-805a-4d61-b51f-43268123d113

---

Copy this file where brcmfmac expects the nvram, for example:

Code:

---

cat /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/nvram-74b00bd9-805a-4d61-b51f-43268123d113 > /lib/firmware/brcm/brcmfmac43241b4-sdio.txt

---

I am almost there (only maybe ):
I can see all SSIDs here
but I need to try and fix networkmanager (fails to log on)
or toss it and get wicd onboard - some sort of bus error thingy.

This unit uses the 3740 atom,
fwiw to anyone who arrives here..

More news as I get through this.
The Acer is ancient, but if we can get wifi working
on a system that has a working touch+display we can probably
get this out on other less-ancient models.
Stuff newer than a year I doubt, as linux hardware hacks
lag way behind what is needed to get new hardware working.


At least my new year begins with a bit of hope....:D:D:D:D:D

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Agreed concerning Antix.
Hell...
It is the primary of 3 distros that I use.
the second being Solyd.
The third.... I flex between a few...I haven't settled on a permanent 3rd ...yet.

Antix has consistently impressed the hell out of me.
Love the distro.

So yet again I am not surprised with your progress with Antix.

But it is good to hear such great progress
Good start with good news thus far ...for this new year...
It bodes well..
keeping my eyes peeled on this thread...

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

As you are obviously distro-hoping-kinda guy, I wonder; have you ever gone to the extreme?

I mean full LFS route, the way of true enthusiasts? It is actually surprisingly easy and you will get exactly what fits your needs, and can be on the bloodiest bleeding edge ever if you so desire :D

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Haha

I am worse than a distro hopper...

Yup I have been down the LFS road ...

Still...I can't quite make up my mind....

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

I have often wondered how much time that would take,
recompiling kernels to match hardware being the obvious win.

It always seemed like it might consume too much of my peripheral time,
but is that actually the case ?

Thanks for this reminder :confused:

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

It is not actually that bad, I have done it twice from the scratch, once for a Cavium board (mips based) and once for x86.

The first time I did it, it took maybe two weeks working on and off with it, it was the more difficult thing since it required the cross-compiling suite to be built.
The x86-case was much easier, took less than a week.

Nowdays it is a lot easier than it usef to be; there are nice tools to help you with it, for example https://github.com/aakoskin/hammer which is a scripting set that makes your build repeatable; you just configure it and it downloads, patches, compiles and instslls the tarballs for you.
Working with hammer makes LFS almost like installing gentoo :)

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

The analogy is volatile
when mixed with the first coffee of the day
and a precariously balanced keyboard on a messy desk


:D :eek: :o.


humor aside,
I will consider looking into this (hammer, et al)
if I can get some traction
with a newer version of an Intel-based tablet

Cheers

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Sorry 'bout your coffee, truly :p

But the analogy stands; there are way more difficult things in the CS field than the dreaded Gentoo Install... :D
Some bug-hunting / live-patching endeavours that have been done on live customer NE's are around two magnitudes more challenging, for example :cool:

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

As suggested seems appropriate
to link to the appropriate discussion:

Graalphone Sliding Keyboard Tablet

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Official now,

I got the Wifi working on the Acer w4-821
In review it is apparent this could have been done with MX-15 :o,
but MX-16 is so much more polished anyway...:p

After burrowing through reams of links I began to see
this system is much the same as Well's Transformer.
3740 chip and all

It has been a very long time since my first efforts,
a lot has happened in Baytrail land.
Not much of it successfully.

For anyone landing here about 3740 Baytrial Broadcom wifi,
this will probably not work, but this is what I found worked:

in MX-16 you need to boot edit GRUB the command-line
to use nomodeset option
important - keep the antiX=MLX option (why, I donot know yet)
then just copy brcmfmac43241b4-sdio.txt into /lib/firmware/brcm
then
donot modprobe as suggested elsewhere
use the MX tools "Broadcom Manager"
to unload then load the brcmfmac driver
Network Manager should squawk about finding wifi to connect.
otherwise,
you will still face further digging to fix wifi - good luck.:rolleyes:

sound looks like it may work but needs a lot of digging,
my first effort seems to have missed the mark.
Bluetooth is hiding somewhere not visible (more SDIO lunacy)

ultimately this piece of junk may actually work,
but it will eat days of effort.

One thing I do notice different this time,
unlike under Win 8 it runs for hours without crashing (yet :rolleyes:)

touchscreen works, and it fits cargo pants.

Maybe some of those CherryTrails might work, eventually.

At least with a working wifi the device can be hacked,
unlike some brick that needs to be spoon-fed revisions via USB.
(USB wifi dongles over dinky little one-hole devices is dodgy++,
and more often than not fail halfway through a session)

cheers

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

OK, this won't satisfy the folks who demand a hardware keyboard, but it's pretty cool:

https://learntemail.sam.today/blog/m...it-is-amazing/

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

How about these for hwkb watches. Can anyone put their favourite linux distro on one of them...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculator_watch

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

may not satisfy those who wish hwkb...
but yeeesh!
the graalphone?
I want something that awkward to make calls on ...
I'll consider a pyra first.
I foresee many problems with a screen that can flip any old way...
All around bad idea....that is for sure.

Keep it simple..
clamshell, micro laptop, slider ....
less can go wrong.

I would be happy with a modern linux version of the n800 or n810...

A phone is a phone...a dime a dozen.
but a good handheld linux pc? hard to find.

it seems mixing internet and phone together produces either wp or iphone or android, and / or botched jobs......

The only decent job done for a linux smartphone was the n900...

and yeah I agree with you Ken...
'specially with 'laws successes thus far with antix on the acer...
I think the only thing really making it hard on that acer IS that "broadcom" ...
gad I hate broadcom...I have had a few laps in my time that I unluckily found out were broadcom chips inside ...and they were nothing but problems...ESPECIALLY when it came to linux.
If I could squeeze hate into a chip....
It'd be called broadcom.

So I am not surprised with the hoops 'law had to jump through to get the damned wifi to work.
HATE BROADCOM.


Did I happen to mention my dislike for broadcom?

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Oh yeah, had one of those in the '80s :p

Could be great!

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Amen brother.

It is worth repeating.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

yup...
Broadcom is known (when you actually look that is....and sadly one tends to look AFTER the fact of getting a lap / device with a broadcom chip)....
actually broadcom is notorious...

If broadcom is having a "tiff" with say....microsoft...
and you happen to have a pc with a broadcom chip...
the given ...is not to expect updates, patches etc for your chip...not for windows ...and not while broadcom and microsoft are having their little "cold war" anyway....
And as far as the love goes between broadcom and linux goes?
brrr...
that is a frosty frosty love...
usually only seen between couples who split UN- amicably and where neither of the couple can move out.
brrr...

Frankly...
I am incredibly surprised at 'law's success with a tablet with a broadcom chip and getting the wifi to work on ANY linux distro.

Me...
I don't personally have ANY device with a broadcom chip in it... anymore.

So yeah...
When looking for a new device and you want linux on it..hell anything on it...
Do your due diligence ...
and make sure the device DOESN'T contain a broadcom chip...
(unless you are a masochist ...that is...)

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

I wore the Casio versions for about 10 years,
but I checked - they were just keyboard+screen+rom,
nowhere to go with that.

In that day (and night ! ) they were indispensible.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Thanks for this reminder !

I was waiting for the Urbane when they pulled it from the market,
and promptly forgot about the possibilities for awhile.


I was thinking along the lines of a digital 'phone' watch for

• phone calls, if absolutely necessary
• a simple clock+calculator (ala old Casio designs)
• SMS (for simple connectivity maintenance)
• and feeding internet access -
  - to a linux tablet where any and all heavy lifting occurs.

Perhaps the battery for tethering purposes might be overworked,
but what I was looking at was separating the comms issues
(particularly the part about what operators do to services)
from the tablet side of things which can focus on being a computer.

Something along the lines of "wearing a modem on the wrist".

I have bought a couple of those LTE modems
but they were urban disasters - no way to maintain the channel.
You need SMS and USSD so you can maintain the channel,
but all other comms (aside from silly vocal grunting)
can be rerouted (and logged ! ) through the tablet side of things.

At this time I am using my Ubuntu E5 as a modem
(almost the only useful thing it is good for)
but not very happy with the form factor.
I have an Android I planned to use but looking at the massive
spew of data it casually heaves about unasked,
it is spending time on the shelf waiting for a new OS these days.

If we had a phone watch that was focused on just being a clock
and translating GSM/LTE/whatever into wifi internet access
then I reckon that makes getting a pocketable handheld
running linux much more likely - it removes locale issues.

You can find any kind of wifi almost anywhere on the planet,
but the border wars defined by telcom operators
limit broadband tablet products to very nationalistic sentiments.

By moving the broadband issues off the tablet
we can win one very crucial battle.

And this is completely (awesome) over the top:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQOcx_JoAWE

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Confirmed! :(
Just struggled a few evenings (spare time is rare) to get rid of my last Windoze compi and install Linux on an old Asus laptop.
WiFi (broadcom) just did not want to run. Neither with Ubuntu chosen driver (b43) nor with proprietary driver (wl). Solution for me: new install WITHOUT proprietary stuff checked, (sudo apt-get remove b43-fwcutter bcmwl-kernel-source,) sudo apt-get install b43- fwcutter firmware-b43-installer, reboot

But to find the correct solution/commands ... oh dear!

--
now I only need to find solution (ubuntu14) why the computer keeps running but shows only a black screen after the screensaver hit after selected time. As soon as the screen blanks there is no reaction to mouse/keyboard/anything but the power button?
(and I thought Linux is user/noob friendly ;))

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Sounds like it's going into a suspended state. Anything in the logs?

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

http://liliputing.com/2017/01/gpd-po...u-support.html

The GPD pocket will have Ubuntu support, so other distros would probably work.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

I am not so sure if it will support Ubuntu/Linux.

"it’s expected to support either Windows 10 or Ubuntu 16.04 Linux."

They said something similar about the GPD Win and as far as I know they never assisted with installing a Linux distro on the GPD Win.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

I am not a native English speaker but I would read that sentence as, "it is expected that the user will have a choice of installing X or Y." I may be wrong, of course.

Did they? I do not remember that. Any mention of Linux on GPD Win that I remember came from various community wish lists, not from GPD themselves. Again, I do not claim infallibility.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Yes, I guess you're right #Iblamegoogletranslate ;)

Still.. I doubt GPD will fully support Ubuntu but I hope they will prove me wrong.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

GPD may not fully support Linux, but the components will likely have drivers that do, so Linux issues shouldn't be a problem.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

It would be great to do something like this:
http://makezine.com/2014/01/07/how-i...rry-pi-tablet/

Using this or at least raspberry pi3
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...pl/description

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPYOzjyAS6s

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

This was very nicely done.

About the only glitch visible is but that is something that eventually can be fixed, somehow.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

That is not so much a tablet as it is a brick!

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

hahaha
A wooden brick with electronics inside, precisely! :D
http://blocmat.com/imagenesPublicaciones/extra/r_4_.JPG

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

The lack of a QWERTY keyboard will be an issue for most here but these two Linux powered phones might be of interest to someone here:

The GTA04A5 looks like it might ship soon.

The idea of a Raspberry Pi Zero phone was mentioned in last year's thread. Now it's a reality.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Yes it is good news...
But unless you have a freerunner to put the board in...you are making your own case....
Which...makes it pretty much 99% of the buyers...
Lack of QWERTY? ...
Lack of body is more the case...
Selling just boards...as good as they are...as fabulous as they may indeed may be...
Relegates them to the DIY section of popular mechanics at the back of the magazine beside the ads for 1001 experiments with electricity kits and how to turn a potato into an FM radio...
Pardon my vitriol ...and dark humour...
I imagine I myself will end up wanting ...or having no other alternative but to go down this DIY Linux road...
But really...what made me post...

"Soon to ship? "

https://youtu.be/FMzdtFknWYM

That's all I have to say to that...
I will believe it when it happens...
I am not investing in anything....anymore.
until it is on the shelf...I won't touch it.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

The Nintendo Switch given that it runs an Nvidia processor should be able to be hacked to run Linux. Tegra processors work well with Linux.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

Two issues. "Soon" was used and that actually took a full minute to boot...

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

If I were a betting man...
My money would be on the pi zero phone...
They have a large community ...established...lots of peeps...working puttering away on all kinds of stuff...
' affordability....also is another benefit ...

The gta will undoubtedly end up being a piece of art...
Everyone will drool over and want...
But the community is a small one...
Smaller than ours...
Which does not work in anyone's favor ...

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

This isn't too much of an issue. There's at least one website that sells 3D printed GTA04 cases for those hardcore enough to want one.

I know this community has been stung by word "soon" all too often but I (not them) used that word because Goldelico have a decent record of shipping devices and a successful production test looks good to me.

As for boot time, is that really an issue if the OS is stable and only needs to be rebooted once in a blue moon? I've used some mobile OSs that are so poor that they must be rebooted regularly and others that will stay up for months without a reboot (Maemo for example). I can't speak about the OSs available for the GTA04 as I've never used them but unless you've heard different, let's give it the benefit of the doubt.

I'm not saying that this is the best handheld GNU/Linux machine for 2017. Just passing on information guys. Might be useful to someone.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 2017?
 

true enough...
not shooting the messenger here wicket...really...

but caveat emptor...
flat out man.

and I do suggest people who are interested in the gta line or the pi...
look carefully at what is offered in the realm of community, support, available software, os, and ease of use...
before jumping headlong into anything...